GE Healthcare is gearing up to give established pharma companies competition in emerging markets. The company announced this week it's teaming with German engineering firm M+W Group to help countries worldwide learn to manufacture biologics like vaccines, insulin and biosimilars. The companies plan to build two biomanufacturing facilities--one in Latin America and the other in the Middle East--capable of producing generic versions of pricey biologics. Olivier Loeillot, GM of enterprise solutions, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, told the Financial Times the factories could be ready in just 18 months versus the typical three years and would cost half as much to build than similar plants elsewhere. "This is a big step forward in bringing better, more affordable healthcare to more people," he added in a statement. GE release | FT article